Curtain holding and releasing device.



W. E. TIPPETT & G. L. TEAGUE.

- CURTAIN HOLDING AND RELEASING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION I'ILBD FEB. 13, 1914. 1

1,101,476. Patented June 23,v 191 i COLUMBIA PIANOGRAPH CO.,WAsHINumN. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. TIPIETT AND CARL L. TEAGUE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CURTAIN HOLDING AND RELEASING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1914:.

Application filed February 13, 1914. Serial N 0. 818,560.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, TVILLIAM E. Tn?- PETT and CARL L. 'l.EAeun, citizens of the United States, residing in the city of \Vashington and District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Curtain Holding and Releasing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates generally to a means for holding and releasing the curtain employed in connection with the vestibule of railway cars, the object of our invention being to provide a simple and eiiicient curtain holding means which can be quickly and easily operated to receive the hasp or handle of the curtain and which will automatically release said curtain when the cars are uncoupled and pulled apart and this without injury to the curtain. At the present time the hasp or handle of the curtain is attached to a hook carried by the opposite car, the curtain being drawn across the accordion ortions of the vestibule, and when it is desired to uncouple the cars'it is necessary to release each curtain by hand and very frequently this is forgotten with the result that when the cars are finally separated the curtains re pulled out and torn or otherwise injured to such an extent as to require the installation of a new curtain or repairing the old one, both of which involved both time and expense. WVith ours, however, these objections are avoided as the curtain handle or grip is released from the keeper by the pull against the same, the keeper being normally held closed by spring pressure which is sufiicient to withstand rdinary strain but which will be pulled open whenever the tension thereon exceeds a certain predetermined amount.

Withthese various objects in view, our invention consists in the various features of construction, and combination all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view illustrating our invention, the said view showing the manner of inserting the curtain grip or handle into the keeper, a portio only of the curtain and car structure being illustrated. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the keeper and mechanism contained therein, and, Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional View on the line 3-8 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is

a view showing the means for fasteni upper end of spring roller.

V7 e have shown our invention applied to the present construction of steel cars the hollow column or jamb A being utilized to receive a cast metal housing B. This cast metal housing B has laterally projecting ears B by means of which it is attached t the inwardly extending flanges A of the steel jamb A. The cast metal housing B constitutes the fixed portion of our keeper while the movable portion consists of a head 0 having a shank C which works back and forth in the housing as hereinafter explain-ed. The head G is rounded upon the arc of a circle as shown at C and coincides with the curved portions 13 0f the outer face of the housing, thus providing a round ed or curved projecting portion which will avoid catching in the clothes or wraps of passengers and train-men. The outer face of the housing and the inner face of the head are cut away as shown at D providing a substantially circular opening which is adapted to receive the upright member E of the curtain-pull or handle, the curtain being shown at F and the connection of the handle thereto being indicated at F in Fig. l and in reference to this Fig. 1 it will be understood that the curtain and handle are shown in the position of being secured and after being so secured the curtain is permitted to pull back in a line with the divid ing line between the head and housing of the keeper. Now in order to maintain the head in contact with the handle of the cur tain we employ a spring roller G which at its lower end is provided with a pinion H centered at H in an aperture in the housing and this inion H engages the rack teeth I cut in the shank C and the tension of the spring acting through the pinion and rack teeth normally holds the movable portion of the keeper closed as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When, however, strain is exerted upon the curtain suflicient to overcome the spring of the roller G the handle E is pulled out, and in so doing the movable portion of the keeper is pulled out sufliciently to release the vertical member E of the curtain handle, and it will be noted that the opening D is slightly pointed at one side to facilitate the releasing operation. The moment the curtain grip 0r handle is released the spring acting upon the pinion g the and toothed portion of slide or shank will draw the, keeper back again to its normal position. A small hand lever G can be affixed to the upper end of the spring roller G for the purpose of working the same whenever it is desired to open the keeper.

In order to prevent the movable portion of the keeperv being pulled out too far we construct the same with a shoulder G which engages the wall D of the housing. cover-plate K is secured upon the cast metal housing and is shaped to conform thereto as most clearly shown in Fig. 1.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of our device will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which it relates and it will be understood that we may change, modify or alter the details of our construction within certain limits without departing from the broad principles of our invention.

In Fig. 4 we have shown the means for fastening the roll at the upper end, said means consisting of a slotted plate Gr adapted to fit the amb A, said plate having a slot G to receive the pintle of the spring roller. This plate G is flanged at its forward side as shown at Gr through which passes a bolt G into a bar G which is adapted to be arranged within the j ainb and by tightening the screw draw the bar and flange firmly together so as to fasten the plate within the 'Jamb.

that we claim is 1. A curtain holding and releasing device adapted to receive a curtain pull or handle and comprising a keeper consisting of a fixed portion and a movable portion and a spring actuated roller adapted to normally hold the movable portion closed. 7

2. A curtain holding and releasing means consisting of a keeper adapted to receive the handle or pull of a curtain, said keeper comprising a housing, a head provided with a shank movable-in said housing, said shank having rack teeth, a pinion arranged within the housing and engaging the rack teeth and a spring roller connected to said pinion whereby tension is applied to the shank of the movable member'for-normally holding the same in contact with the fixed portion of the keeper. a

3. A curtain holding and releasing'device adapted to receive a curtain pull or handle, and comprising a keeper consistinv of a fixed portion and a movable portion, sald movable portion having rack teeth thereon, and a spring actuated pinion adapted to normally hold the movable portion closed against the fixed portion.

4:. A curtain holding and releasing device adapted to receive a curtain pull or handle comprising a keeper consisting of a fixed portion and a movable portion, said movable portion having atoothed shank, a pinion mounted on the fixed portion and adapted v to engage said toothed shank and spring means actuating upon said pinion to normally hold the movable portion closed against the fixed portion, as set forth.

WILLIAM E. TIPPETT. CARL L. TEAGUE.

Witnesses: V

JAMES RIoRDoN, MARIE LOUISE RIQRDoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, 1).,0. i 

